Last night before I went to bed at 12am, I decided to take a look at my e-mails (yes… plural). Two hours later, I found myself reading about the latest Tiger Woods crisis, and stalking semi-friends on Facebook. When I woke up this morning, I reached for my cell phone (which is basically a mini computer) to check my e-mails (yup… still plural). At the job, I constantly toggle between work and all the stupid shit floating around on the inter-bot. When I want to know the number for a restaurant: The Internet. When I want to get directions: The Internet. When I want to get a hotel reservation, a car rental, or airplane tickets: The Internet. How the hell did we function before this behemoth of physical nothing-ness existed?!
I spend so much wasted and meaningful time on the world wide web, I almost believe I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. Would I just sit staring at a wall silently crying?
Of course not…well at least for my generation and those that came before. We had the unique experience of actually being conscious when the Internet wasn’t THE INTERNET. So we remember how to use a phone book and other things only used by hipster and old people- like 45s.
I remember watching a video in the 5th grade about the future- which was going to include THE INFORMATION SUPER HIGHWAY. I thought, it was weird. I also remember watching the OJ highway chase on TV in that same class- but that’s another story. At the time, this information super highway, wasn’t something I was looking forward too because:
 1. I wasn’t a nerd.
2. I was ten, and more interested in picking my nose and watching cartoons (Yes, I was THAT kid).
Little did I know that two short years later, I would find myself giggling about boys with friends as we discovered chat rooms. When I was growing up, so was the Internet- which made for a very unique experience. It allows me to say things like, “I remember when…” which is unusual for a twenty-something, but man do I love playing that card around the whipper-snappers.
The most interesting part about growing up along side the Internet has been watching the slow demise of other outlets of information. Honestly, I’m still mystified to how it completely took over. Products marketed on TV no longer flash a 1-800 number at you, but instead flash a website. Now that I think about it, the Internet has taken a lot of the wind out of the phone company.
No longer fresh and new, the Internet has settled into itself, as necessary means for information in our world- making some wonder what the next big thing will be, while I still would rather pick my nose and watch cartoons.
January 13th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
You know, I have to tell you, I really enjoy this blog and the insight from everyone who participates. I find it to be refreshing and very informative. I wish there were more blogs like it. Anyway, I felt it was about time I posted, I’ve spent most of my time here just lurking and reading, but today for some reason I just felt compelled to say this.